1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wearable computing device that uses a programmed local tag. Specifically, the present invention relates to a wearable computing device having a head-mounted display (HMD) and a controller. The HMD provides a field of view in which at least a portion of an environment of the wearable computing device is viewable or within range.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wearable systems can integrate various elements, such as miniaturized computers, input devices, sensors, detectors, image displays, wireless communication devices as well as image and audio processors, into a device that can be worn by a user. Such devices provide a mobile and lightweight solution to communicating, computing and interacting with one's environment. With the advance of technologies associated with wearable systems and miniaturized optical elements, it has become possible to consider wearable compact optical displays that augment the wearer's experience of the real world.
By placing an image display element close to the wearer's eye(s), an artificial image can be made to overlay the wearer's view of the real world. Such image display elements are incorporated into systems also referred to as “near-eye displays”, “head-mounted displays” (HMDs) or “heads-up displays” (HUDs). Depending upon the size of the display element and the distance to the wearer's eye, the artificial image may fill or nearly fill the wearer's field of view.
US Publication 2013/0069985 A1 by Wong et al, “Wearable computer with superimposed controls and instructions for external devices” uses a wearable computing device for determining if a target device is within view and then either learns about and the augments the reality of the target device through a service network. As described in this publication, the wearable computing device may provide the wearer with additional means by which the wearer can control the target device, provide input to the target device, receive instructions for operating the target device, receive status information regarding the target device, and/or receive other information related to the target device.
While this invention provides unique capability, it requires that the target device to be able to communicate with the server network. In many cases, the amount of information to be accessed over the server network doesn't warrant the expense of adding electronics to the target device to have it access the server network, that is a simple set of instructions, background data etc., is a limited amount of data, that really doesn't require access to the internet. What is required is a less expensive and more local means to access information of the target device.
While US Publication 2013/0069985 provides unique capability, the requirement that the target device communicate with the server network is a disadvantage as in many cases, server networks may not be available. For instance, a statue in a park may not have any ability to communicate with a server network. In many cases the target device will not have integration, or warrant, control of the target device through a server network.
Although control of a target device such as a refrigerator to dispense ice may not require access a server network to request ice and therefore it is much easier to have the user directly dispense ice. However, it may be quite useful to at least have operating instructions and other related information of the target device without need for access to the Internet.
Moreover, there maybe security issues for a general user to learn about a target device that does not want to interact with a server network. What is required is a means to have a more secure augmented enhancement without connection to a server network.
In many cases, a target device may need information created more quickly for safety reasons, that is speed of information is critical and waiting for access through the server networks through the internet may be slowed by connection speeds of web pages not responded quickly, or worse be offline. What is required is a means to augment a target device without requiring a connection to the server networks.
In other cases, target device information is annotated with other information, pop-up menus and data, advertisement and the like. This may negatively impact the user experience as well as may slow the experience down. What is required is a means to augment a target device without having ads or pop-up menus that is served by the Internet but rather obtained, if at all, only as the manufacturer or user who programs the local data requires.
In the cases contemplated by the related art, the manufactured target device includes expensive electronics for communicating with a wearable device. In many cases, the purchasers of these target devices may never use this capability and therefore is a waste. What is needed is for a simplified way to add this capability by the purchaser.
Finally, in the cases contemplated by the related art, the manufactured target device may already be manufactured and have no built-in capability. Therefore, what is needed is a simplified way to add this capability by the purchaser.